10 Samoan Foods That Everyone Should Try Once In Their Life

BRB — asking my mom to make me some cocoa rice!

As a little girl, I always looked forward to the holidays when my family would make all different kinds of Samoan food. Now that I'm older, I wanna share all this yummy cuisine with the world! So here are my favorite Samoan dishes:

1. Sapasui

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Calling all noodle lovers! Sapasui (also called chop suey) combines vermicelli noodles with meat, onions, garlic, and soy sauce. Some people will add ginger and veggies, too!

2. Pani popo

Poly Grill & Bakery / Instagram: @polygrillandbakery

Pani popo is awesome because you can eat it for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack. It's always a good time for coconut buns! These bread rolls are baked in sweetened coconut milk until they're golden brown. Sooo good!

3. Palusami

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Palusami is made by picking taro leaves and ripping off the top. Some say that part is removed because the ancient Samoans wouldn't eat a food that represented a god (Eel), while others say it's because it can make your throat itchy. Whatever the reason, it's common practice to rip it off. Then, the leaves are piled onto each other, twisted into a bowl shape, and filled with coconut milk mixed with salt and onion. Just wrap them in foil, bake them for a couple of hours, and they're good to go!

4. Oka

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There are tons of variations of oka out there, but all of them include fresh fish, diced and marinated in a citrus juice. Chopped up veggies are added with coconut milk. Some people add chili peppers for a little kick.

5. Panikeke

Poly Grill & Bakery / Instagram: @polygrillandbakery

I always begged my mom for these growing up. Unlike flat, grilled pancakes, these ones are fried as little balls. The taste kind of reminds me of donuts. Some people will mash up bananas into the dough, and that's my absolute favorite!

6. Keke pua'a

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Keke might translate to cake, but these are strictly savory. There's nothing better than a freshly made pork bun! They're filled with meat, onion, garlic, and soy sauce.

7. Paifala

Poly Grill & Bakery / Instagram: @polygrillandbakery

Everyone loves these half-moon pineapple pies. Crushed pineapple is used to make a sweet custard inside the pastries. The first time you sink your teeth into one of these is basically life-changing.

8. Kalo

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Kalo is a staple in Samoa. Called taro in English, it's a starchy root vegetable. It's usually boiled until tender, then smothered in coconut milk with chopped onions.

9. Koko alaisa

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All Samoans grew up with cocoa rice! This dessert is genius in its simplicity: boiled rice, grated koko Samoa (or cocoa powder), and coconut milk. People will often drop an orange leaf into the pot for a little extra zest. The perfect comfort food!

10. And finally, pua'a

SAMOA MO SAMOA / Facebook: SamoaMoSamoa

Pua'a translates to pig in English, but this meal is special because of the way it's cooked. The pig is roasted on an umu, which is basically a Samoan oven. It's made by lighting a fire underneath a bed of volcanic rocks and covering the food with banana leaves. This gives the pig a delicious smoky flavor. Yum!

What's your favorite Samoan food? Let me know in the comments below!

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BuzzFeed / Kathy Hoang